Best Android phone 2018: smartphones from Google, Samsung, LG, HTC, and more

The top Android-powered phones to buy right now

If you're looking for the best Android phone for you then you've come to the right place.

Whether you're looking to upgrade your aging Google-powered phone, or even moving from an iPhone, we've thoroughly tested every top Android-toting device on the market to make sure you choose the best one.

Android is available on a wide variety of phones. From big to small, powerful to battery efficient, metal clad to grippy plastic, there's something for everyone.

The headline act in the world of Android phones is Samsung, it just makes so many. Then you've got HTC producing some stunning devices and even LG turning its fortunes around and getting back in the game.

Of course, you've also got Google, who has been designing its own flagship range for now.

OnePlus combined power, a wonderful screen with a very affordable price-tag and the likes of Huawei, and Nokia all offer plenty of smartphone for your buck.

We've rounded up the best Android phones available today, making sure every device ticks all the vital boxes. We've rated the handsets on performance, extra features, camera credibility and of course, how they look and feel in the hand.

1. Samsung Galaxy S9

Simply the best, with a bezel-less display

Specifications

Weight: 163g

Dimensions: 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5mm

OS: Android 8.0

Screen size: 5.8-inches

Resolution: 1440 x 2960 pixels

CPU: Exynos 9810 Octa

RAM: 4GB

Storage: 64GB

Battery: 3000mAh

Rear camera: 12 MP f/1.5

Front camera: 8 MP f/1.7

Reasons to buy

+Bezel-less design+Excellent camera

Reasons to avoid

-Fragile-Bixby

All phones look pretty much the same, right? Wrong. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a gorgeous Android phone, complete with a curved display which takes up over 80-percent of the screen. It's so much better than phones which still have large bezels, just because it feels more futuristic (although it does come at the cost of… extra money).

The 5.8-inch QHD display is sublime, probably the best we've ever laid our eyes upon, and the 12MP snapper is great in both daylight and night time conditions. Everything runs smooth too, thanks to the octa-core processor and 4GB RAM tucked under that metal and glass body. It's easily the best Android phone out there, hell, it's also one of the best smartphones out there too.

A premium smartphone from the Big G

Specifications

Reasons to buy

+Great camera+Great software

Reasons to avoid

-Screen not amazing-Not a sleek as S8

Google's second attempt at designed a phone themselves, and it's actually a stellar effort, improving on the original Pixel in every way. The Pixel 2 XL is impressive in almost every area, with a great camera, slick software, decent display and top-of-the-line specs.

The design now has character, although, it's still not quite as premium as its rivals. Google has also added water proofing.

The major let down with the Pixel 2 XL is its screen, which is dull compared to rivals.

All in all however, the Pixel 2 XL is an amazing phone, and we can't wait to see the third generation.

Great phone at a great price

Specifications

Reasons to buy

+Premium design+Decent camera

Reasons to avoid

-Only HD screen-Not waterproof

Forget the price for a second - the OnePlus 5T is a fantastic smartphone. It's got a premium all-metal design, excellent software, great camera, and amazing specs. Now consider that smartphone costs £499, almost £200 cheaper than some of the others on this list, and it becomes easily one of the best smartphones in 2018.

The OnePlus 5T is the OnePlus phone we've been waiting for. The phone feels great in the hand, it's lightening fast, and we didn't experience many software bugs while testing.

It's even got a bezel-free display!

Battery life isn't great, but thanks to Dash Charge, a quick 30 minute blast of power will replenish 60-percent of the battery.

Beautiful design, amazing camera, squeezy edges and multiple AIs

Specifications

Reasons to buy

+Great camera and design+Polished software

Reasons to avoid

-Difficult to purchase

HTC has a long and proud history of producing amazing, under appreciated smartphones. The HTC U11+ is another in the line of brilliant smartphones, and only time will tell if it'll receive the recognition it deserves.

The body has evolved into a sleek glass and metal design, and the specs have gotten better as well. You've now got a 12MP snapper on the back which takes great snaps. BoomSound speakers still provide the best mobile audio experience around, and the Snapdragon 835 processor and 6GB RAM keep everything running smoothly.

Compared to the Samsung Galaxy S8, the U11+ doesn't feel quite so revolutionary, but we still can't help marvel at the build quality.

Specifications

Reasons to buy

+Premium glass design+Dual camera

Reasons to avoid

-Software

Huawei impressed us all with the Huawei Mate 9, and it has done it again with the brilliant MAte 10. It's a fairly large phone with a sleek design, which is actually rather unique. Under the sleek body is the latest, speediest internals.

The Leica-branded camera is back, and it's really rather good. And this thing is a powerhouse for getting stuff done.

A few things let it down, however, such as the system UI, though, Huawei is slowly improving this. It's certainly not the best Android phone out there, but we get the feeling Huawei won't stop until it is.

Reasons to buy

+Great screen+Ergonomic design

Reasons to avoid

-UI

After LG shock things up with the G5, which was clearly aimed at the tech fans amongst us, the company has gone back to a more conservative approach when it comes to flagship design. That's no bad thing, because the LG G6 is a belter of a smartphone.

It carries over the excellent camera from last year's phone, now with a large bezel-less display, and a more premium design. The specs excel as well, if you're looking for the top end of the Android market.

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid

Sony's latest flagship focuses on two areas, the screen, and the camera. The screen on the front has a humongous 807 pixels per-an-inch that makes one of the clearest images on a smartphone, ever.

The 5.5-inch screen is a decent size, but the phone is quite large due to the large bezels at the top and bottom of the screen.

It also includes a 19MP sensor camera that has great auto-focus technology that means you can grab moving objects in a way we've never seen before. It also has a super slow motion, 960fps video function.

There's a new fingerprint sensor running along the side of the phone that works perfectly compared to options we've seen on other phones. Overall, this is one of the best choices if you love 4K and slow motion video.

8. Motorola Moto Z2 Force

Durability is king

Specifications

Reasons to buy

+Durable design+Unbreakable screen

Reasons to avoid

-Weak battery life-Not waterproof

The Moto Z2 Force is one of the best phones we've seen in a long time from Motorola. Moto is the one company that has managed to nail modular design, and with a durable design/shatter-resistant glass screen this phone is almost impossible to break.